Pleasant Valley alum, Samantha Pauly, has gained significant recognition for her theater work, from her title role in “Evita” in London, to her Chicago performance as Katherine Howard in “Six”, which will appear on Broadway in 2020.
At 29 years old, Pauly has had a variety of experiences in theater. She has also had her fair share of adversities, which she has worked hard to overcome. She said, “I’ve worked nonstop for two years and then found myself unemployed for months on end. It doesn’t matter if it’s a smaller production or a Broadway show, things can close in an instant leaving you lost and upset.”
However, the role of Katherine Howard in “Six” has provided a promising break for Pauly. After leaving the musical to do a revival of “Evita” on London’s West End, she will rejoin the show. Pauly said, “I’m so excited to be with all of the same girls and premiering on Broadway together. We’ve been a small family from day one, and we’ve created something really special that I can’t wait to share.” The production will travel to Edmonton, Alberta CA and St Paul, MN before appearing on Broadway.
“Six” is a historic musical that follows the lives of Henry VII’s six wives while incorporating modern pop tunes and employing an all-female cast and band. Pauly expressed her excitement to educate her audience about the life of her character. “The role of Katherine Howard is also a great opportunity to bring to light how long sexual abuse and mental illness have existed. Her story is an incredibly sad one, which most people never knew about,” she said.
Though Pauly’s professional work has taken her across the world, her influence within the Quad Cities has not been forgotten. Meg Byrne, vocal music teacher at PVHS, noticed many students follow her on social media and are inspired by her success. Byrne said, “That’s really cool because I think they see someone who was once in their position and see where it takes them, and that it’s not such a far-fetched idea that you could be a performer for a living and that you could even make it all the way to Broadway.”
Pauly earned her B.F.A. in Music Theatre and minored in dance at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin after graduating from PVHS in 2008. Pauly, a two-year all-stater, was involved in choir for the entirety of her high school and college career.
She did not, however, join the theater department until her junior year of high school, when she auditioned for “The Pajama Game.” Byrne recalled how Pauly’s audition surprised her fellow students due to its belty, showstopper style; they had only heard her sing in the classically-trained way. “She was already sort of shaking people’s opinions as a high schooler. She really made her mark when she was here,” said Byrne.
